Stars who are completely unrecognizable without makeup

When #NoMakeup and #wokeuplikethis selfies started trending on social media, celebrities were quick to jump on board. There were plenty of fails, as some stars felt eyeliner, blush, and lip gloss didn't count. The hashtag spawned hilarious parodies as well, like Amy Schumer's "Girl, You Don't Need No Makeup" sketch. But some celebs really took the plunge and posted 100% au natural pics, and the results were eye opening to say the least. Here are some celebrities who are unrecognizable without makeup.

Chelsea Handler

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Chelsea Handler made a name for herself with her bold stand-up comedy, uncensored autobiographical books, and no-punches-pulled talk show on E! She's also been posting topless photos to Twitter for years, so it's no surprise that her #NoMakeup photo is one of the roughest of the bunch. Obviously played for laughs, the intentionally bad photo looks more she was trying to recreate one of those "after" photos in a substance abuse awareness campaign.

Demi Lovato

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Demi Lovato is arguably the queen of no makeup selfies. She posts them constantly, and she's even done a naked, no makeup, no retouching shoot with Vanity Fair to embrace and reinforce the concept of positive body image to other women. And while she usually looks great, this one kind of misfired. Maybe it's the blonde hair with dark roots or just a weird angle, but we would have guessed this was the kid from Jerry Maguire all grown up before we guessed Demi.

Nicki Minaj

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Nicki Minaj has toned her makeup down from the loud, candy-colored palette of her "Super Bass" days, but she still generally wears plenty. That's why it's so shocking to look at her shower selfie without the eye shadow and lash extensions that put her usual look somewhere between Cleopatra and Jessica Rabbit.

Sharon Stone

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Sharon Stone not only ditched the makeup for this Instagram photo, she also applied whatever filter makes you look like you're staring at a nuclear bomb blast. If the point here was to showcase natural beauty — which the gorgeous actress clearly has—then why wash it out so bad that it looks like an old newspaper story about an unsolved abduction case?

Katy Perry

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Katy Perry's then-husband Russell Brand posted this now-infamous, quickly deleted pic to Twitter on December 31, 2010. Their marriage amazingly lasted for another year and a half, which is exactly one year, five months, and thirty days more than anyone expected after he pulled such a bonehead move. And this isn't meant to trash Katy in any way — she's obviously a knockout — but there isn't a person on Earth, regardless of how attractive they are, who wants a snapshot taken the instant they wake up splashed across the internet.

Jessica Alba

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Jessica Alba falls into the same category as most of the others on this list: natural beauties who did something awkward in addition to not wearing makeup. Nobody looks good in a blurry, sweaty, post-workout snap, so the result is that a woman so stunning she's literally the face of her own billion-dollar company ends up looking like a hot mess. It's just perspiration, people. Relax.

AnnaLynne McCord

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Holy crap, celebrities get pimples, too? Yep, we know it's hard to believe, but actress and model AnnaLynne McCord has some zits under that foundation. She's just like us, only her acne landed her a probably pretty lucrative deal with BenzaClin, while ours just got us rejected by people we asked to the prom.

Kylie Jenner

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This Kylie Jenner "no makeup" pic was one of the ones that was criticized, since she clearly is still wearing eyeliner, but we included it anyway, because the nose and lips she has now make her look like a completely different person. That has to be more than just makeup, unless Revlon invented a creme base that shaves down nasal cartilage and a lip pencil that doubles as a tire pump.

Lady Gaga

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There is no musician better known for outrageous looks than Lady GagaLady Gaga. From the meat dress to that weird egg thing to the countless other getups that had her looking like she was headed to a masquerade ball in Hell, the "Born This Way" singer never fails to shock. Which is probably why this stripped-down, natural hair color shot had everyone wondering if that was really Gaga, or just some pretty brunette who's a little sad because it's raining and she was supposed to go to the beach that day.

Marilyn Manson

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Though he has the distinction of being one of only a few guys to make this list, Marilyn Manson didn't actually post this photo. It was the Twitter page of the Marilyn Manson Wiki that uploaded this startling snapshot of the shock rocker, who is almost never seen without full show makeup. But it wasn't exactly a secret—Manson was on the set of Eastbound & Down for a cameo appearance that he also did all natural. And while his usual look isn't exactly warm and inviting, there's almost something creepier about seeing him without it. It's like seeing a teacher outside of school, or a biker wearing a dress shirt and tie.

Adele

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Adele's passionate voice overshadows her personal style, but the Grammy-winner has cultivated a distinct look since gaining international popularity. In interviews, Adele has said she prefers to go for bold and "very dramatic makeup" when performing, a look that contours "Boy George-style with lots of blush on my cheeks." Conversely, she's also unafraid to be seen in public without the filter of makeup, like in August 2016 when Adele appeared on Instagram to announce she was postponing a show because of an illness. Her entire Instagram account is peppered with no-makeup selfies that appear to pop up whenever the mood strikes.

Kate Upton

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Supermodel and actress Kate Upton decided no makeup was required for a recent Instagram post updating fans on a workout she invented that's called "sitting on your a**." Jokes aside, Upton still possesses a girl-next-door quality, even when all she's wearing is workout clothes. Regardless, there's no practical reason to wear makeup for presumably grueling exercise, unless, of course, you're Jamie Lee Curtis, Jane Fonda, or Olivia Newton-John.

Taylor Swift

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Is this pop superstar Taylor Swift, or just a woman with her cat on the Internet? Well she ain't no cat lady, that's for sure. She captioned the since-deleted March 2015 pic with a nod to one of Beyonce's famous selfies: "I woke up like thissss (With a cat on me)." It has been liked at least 2.3 million times on Instagram, but that might be because of the cat, who is named Dr. Meredith Grey. Swift has gone au naturel before, notably at Christmas 2015 when she posed as an elf without any makeup in a now-deleted Instagram photo.

RuPaul

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Here is what you might call a stark contrast. Emmy-winner RuPaul projects a beautiful image when made up, no matter in drag or not. But looking that iconic is hard work, and there are going to be moments when RuPaul Andre Charles just won't look like the RuPaul we all know. One example is a moment from 2016 while visiting San Francisco with his partner of 20-plus years, Georges LeBar. It would seem quite possible that RuPaul out-of-costume could slip through life entirely without being noticed, were it not for his Instagram account. As he has said on several occasions, the only time you'll see RuPaul in drag is when he's getting paid for the show.

Eva Longoria

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Among the most gorgeous people in Hollywood, Eva Longoria is another beauty unafraid to go without makeup on social media and sometimes in public. She obviously can get away with it. In this instance, Longoria was on safari, checking out a tiger in India. Nice kitty!

Zoe Saldana

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Zoe Saldana has come a long way since playing Britney Spears' friend Kit in Crossroads. These days, she basically owns her own prominent spot in the universe, including the Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar franchises. While on Earth, Saldana also can make it a long way without makeup, like she did early in 2016 when she dubbed an Instagram selfie "Yikes — the actual situation." You know what? The actual situation ain't all that bad, girl.

Gwen Stefani

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Critics on social media did not react with uniform kindness when Stefani changed her look for the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, eschewing the usual heavy stuff for a more "earthy" approach. Yet, around the same time on Instagram, she did more (or was it less?) than just take away the bright red lipstick and thick black eyeliner, both of which have become ubiquitous for Stefani over 20-plus years in public view. She took it all off. She just woke up, and you can tell, but whoa. Stefani has never looked sweeter, or even sexier, than she did in a selfie posted on Instagram in May 2016.

Kesha

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In heavy makeup, Kesha looks like a movie star. Without it, she looks like most any young lady with adorable freckles. Calling her "unrecognizable" without makeup might be a stretch because she frequently posts photos of herself without makeup, but her mood or message are not always lighthearted when she does it. Back in August 2016, she accompanied a straight-on headshot on Instagram with a straight-up message related to dropping a lawsuit against producer Dr. Luke for sexual assault.

Naomi Watts

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This one is all about the process. Naomi Watts got a facial before the 2016 Oscars, where Spotlight (in which her longtime former partner, Liev Schreiber, co-starred) won best picture. So Watts figured she would share one of her own best pictures by publishing a selfie without makeup as she got the treatment. It was daring of her, but also honest. You don't stay looking like a movie star without hard work—or having procedures like this done to your face.

Gwyneth Paltrow

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Gwyneth Paltrow has made this much clear: she will engage the world without makeup. She's done it several times on social media and in spectacular fashion to mark her 44th birthday. I think we can all agree she's aged remarkable well — makeup or not.

Diane Kruger

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One of the first things actress Diane Kruger did in 2016 was post a selfie without makeup, adding the description, "#startingtheyearwithanhonestnomakeupselfieha." There's no question this actress and former model is a natural beauty.

NeNe Leakes

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So excited was NeNe Leakes to get good news from her husband one morning that she took to Instagram to pass it along to her fans, making a quick video without wearing any makeup. She didn't care, because she had sold out two shows in North Carolina on a leg of her budding comedy club tour. She said: "Thank you Charlotte for selling out 2 shows! gratefulannouncement #nohair #nomakeup #justme #naynay" That's all confidence.

Lindsay Lohan

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Lindsay Lohan lives a complicated life. Personal issues with herself, friends and family—and even charity work. No matter what Lohan is doing in her life it's nice to know she can always revert to a more innocent version of herself, like she did on a trip to Turkey in 2015, when she stripped off the makeup, headed to the beach and showed off her legendary freckles. Simple is better!

Carrie Underwood

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Country superstar Carrie Underwood refers to herself as "a sweaty" mess in a workout selfie she took without makeup. Sweaty? OK, truth. But she's not much of a mess at all. And note how she invites you to check out her shoulders in the reflection. Check! So, were you ready for some Underwood without makeup? You totally were.She seems to sparkle from an inner confidence that's more attractive than any of her physical or vocal qualities, sweat be darned.

Shakira

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Perhaps it's the cute way she put her hair in a "birthday" bun, but you can't argue that Shakira has serious natural beauty. No matter how much (or little) makeup she's wearing, Shakira rocks like nobody else can. It might be a stretch to say that she could go "unrecognized" anywhere, given her international fame, but let's see her give it a shot walking around Times Square with her hair styled like so.

Boy George

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Boy oh boy! Boy George continues to age well, and is one handsome guy, even without his trademark eye cover. To mark his 55th birthday, which was celebrated in Japan while on tour with Culture Club, George took to Instagram and made a funny video. Thankfully, he gave fans a relatively rare glimpse at what he looks like without makeup and, whoa. We think he could easily wander around in public without drawing a crowd.

Rihanna

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Whether she's performing onstage or laying low in her home country of Barbados, Rihanna pretty much slays no matter what she does. However, it's not often we catch the chart-topping performer sans makeup. This picture's proof that you can't hide true beauty, even behind a funny face.

Miley Cyrus

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Miley has gone through quite a few transformations in the past couple of years. She chopped off her hair and publicly denounced her Disney character Hannah Montana, twerked across a stage with Robin Thicke, only to finally land in a 'Happy Hippie' phase. "Why was I wearing more makeup when I was 16 than I do now?" she once questioned in an interview with Elle. Take a quick scroll through her Instagram and you'll find most of her selfies are makeup-free — and she seems happier than ever.

Gigi Hadid

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As a highly sought-after model, Gigi's natural beauty is undeniable. However, we're so used to seeing her fully made up on the runway and in photo shoots that this no-makeup photo is refreshing.

Bella Hadid

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The Hadids clearly hit the genetic jackpot. Like her sister Gigi, Bella's blessed with natural beauty that she struts down the runway. But even models get sick, as Bella demonstrates here in a makeup-less Instagram photo captioned "sick day."

Selena Gomez

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Fact: Selena Gomez once held the record for the most-liked photo on Instagram. However, she's not a huge fan of the app. She told Vogue, "I always end up feeling like s*** when I look at Instagram," so she deleted the app from her phone. Don't worry, she'll still be posting pics through her assistant, who is the only person with the password. Even Selena doesn't have the login! This may mean we'll get less photos from now on, but luckily we can still look back at hundreds of old posts, including this bare-faced, post-spin class selfie.

Kim Kardashian

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Kim Kardashian is the unofficial queen of makeup. Smoky eye, contouring, nontouring — whatever trend she rocks, the beauty world catches on fast. She's even gone so far as to start a "no makeup" makeup trend (yes, really). However, it's rare that we see Kim totally bare faced, so it was refreshing to see this adorable photo she posted of herself with her son, Saint.

Kendall Jenner

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Though she's a successful model and member of the trendsetting Kardashian family, Kendall's makeup look is typically a lot more muted than you'd expect. The Estee Lauder spokeswoman usually sticks with a natural look, sometimes adding a pop of color with bold lipstick. "I was really into black eyeshadow," Jenner told Glamour in 2016. "But one makeup artist was like, 'No, no, no. Less is more. You're young; you should definitely be more natural.' And since then, it stuck with me — I love doing less."

Cara Delevingne

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The model-turned-actress sparked a wave of eyebrow envy when she first hit the runways, and below those iconic brows is usually a makeup look worthy of the red carpet. But Cara's never been one to take herself too seriously — she's always sharing silly photos and videos of herself online, and isn't afraid to show off her natural beauty.

Alicia Keys

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In 2016, Alicia Keys vowed to never wear makeup again. She wrote in a Lenny Letter about how she was over "how much women are brainwashed into feeling like we have to be skinny, or sexy, or desirable, or perfect." She describes going to a photoshoot without makeup and having photos taken of her just as she is, and how it made her feel "the strongest, most empowered, most free, and most honestly beautiful" she's ever felt.

Amy Schumer

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We're used to laughing at Amy Schumer — she's a comedian, after all. She's used to poking fun at herself, and posted this image as a response to a meme comparing her to WWE star Chris Jericho.

Sofia Vergara

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There's no denying it: the Modern Family star is a bombshell. Her red carpet looks are constantly flawless — but actresses aren't immune from fevers! Vergara shared this photo of her suffering from a 102 degree fever. She didn't let it get her down, though. "I just realised that 102 fever gives u the perfect shades of pink," she wrote on Instagram.

Madonna

Though Madonna has gone through multiple transformations since she first hit the music scene in the 80s, one thing is for sure: we rarely get a glimpse at the queen of pop without makeup. But in September 2017, Madonna gave us a rare look at her makeup-free life off-camera, and surprisingly it's super relatable. "When you've been arguing with customs all week that you really are Madonna and they still won't release your package," she wrote on Instagram. Well, sort of relatable.

Priyanka Chopra

There's no denying the actress and pageant winner is oozing with natural beauty, but it's rare we get a chance to recognize it because we're used to seeing her on set and at red carpet events. That's why this photo she shared of her and her sleepy dog is such a treat!

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is the definition of diva in every way, from her voice to her personality. As a diva, naturally she's often done up to the nines, including a full face of makeup. She (shockingly) shared a makeup-free photo of her post-swim sesh as a humbling reminder that yes, she's perfect without makeup also.

Emmy Rossum

Unlike her Shameless character, Emmy Rossum is the epitome of glam. "I have that fashiony persona," she told AOL in 2014. And it's true, she definitely has that high fashion look. But this toned down photo proves her good looks are totally natural.

Sofia Richie

It's easy to forget just how young Richie actually is when we're so used to seeing her with a full face of makeup. However, this Instagram photo is a good reminder that even though she's already a Hollywood bigshot, she's still really just a kid.

Lucy Hale

There are two thing Lucy Hale is best known for: Pretty Little Liars and her eyebrows. While PLL might be over now, this makeup-free photo she shared on Instagram is proof that her eyebrows aren't going anywhere any time soon.

Jenna "Marbles" Mourey

Whether you follow Jenna 'Marbles' on Instagram, YouTube, or both, you'll know she's not afraid to experiment with some wild and crazy hair colors and makeup looks. But she's also not afraid to poke fun at herself, which she did with one of her earliest YouTube videos, which starts off with a rare look at her sans makeup.

Bella Thorne

All it takes is one quick scroll through wild child Bella Thorne's Instagram to see that she loves getting crazy with her fashion and makeup choices. However, she's also open about her struggles with acne. "I'm very self conscious and constantly feeling bad about myself. BUT I shouldn't feel bad. It is normal to have acne. EVERY1 does!" she once shared on Instagram. She isn't afraid to show off her makeup-free, acne prone skin to help lift her fans' self-esteem.

Katie Holmes

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Katie Holmes is usually always very put together, but in 2005 she was seen sporting some serious cold sores while shopping in Hollywood. A good reminder that even the most glam and successful celebrities are imperfect human beings, just like us.

Katie Holmes, again!

Geena Davis

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These days, it's hard to picture Geena Davis with anything other than radiant red hair. Though, she has experimented with different colors. In her Beetlejuice days, her permed locks were more of a chestnut color. She even went platinum blonde in The Long Kiss Goodnightand continued to experiment with the color in later years. You're also probably used to seeing the star all done up — but she's not afraid to step out into the public eye with freshly washed hair and without a dab of makeup.

In an interview with Oprah, the actress admitted that she used to have "crippling self-esteem problems" when she was young. But, as she's gotten older, her confidence grew. "I like myself more, and I feel better about myself," Davis revealed. "It's just 100 percent different." Whether she's sitting down for an interview, posing on the red carpet, or running some errands bare-faced, this celeb definitely has the confidence to pull it off.

Courtney Love

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YouTube abounds with Courtney Love-inspired makeup tutorials. Although the singer-songwriter has influenced a litany of makeup artists, Love has mostly traded in her grunge style. In 2015, she told Harper's Bazaar that she's become a pretty conservative dresser and more into "ladylike" fashion.

Although she opts for a much more subtle look these days, she's still applying the same beauty advice she learned when she was just 11 years old."I was watching [actress and television host Polly Bergen] on TV at my stepfather's house, and she said something like, 'I wish someone had told me when I was younger to start taking care of my skin.'" By the fifth grade, Love started doing just that — even sneaking some of her stepfather's girlfriend's expensive Erno Laszlo soap. To this day, she always makes sure to remove her makeup at night.

Although she takes care of her skin, she admitted that she has" genetically good skin." She explained, saying, "People in my family can become overweight, but they don't wrinkle. I'm blessed that way."

Jennifer Love Hewitt

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In May 2018, producer of Fox's hit drama 9-1-1, Ryan Murphy, made a surprising announcement. "We will be bringing in some new faces, including one you all know and love but haven't seen in a while, the incredible Jennifer Love Hewitt," the producer revealed to advertisers at the Fox Upfront presentation (via E! News). This would mark the celeb's first new role since starring in Criminal Minds back in 2015. She made her long-awaited debut during the show's season premiere in September 2018.

The comeback queen told People that she took the years off to raise her children and admitted that she just "needed to be a person for a while." Hewitt was captured on camera mastering the whole everyday person look, dressed down in a t-shirt, jeans, and forgoing contacts for tortoiseshell frames.

Nevertheless, the star felt ready to return to Hollywood. "It was really important for me to have children and be there," she told People. "They're these full-functioning, beautiful people now, and it's great."

Meghan Trainor

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In 2014, Meghan Trainor released the catchy body positivity anthem "All About That Bass." The following year, Trainor released another inspiring song, "Close Your Eyes," and also became a spokesperson for fullbeauty.com, an online retailer specializing in clothing sizes 12 and beyond. Despite being a body-confident role model for many women, she freely admitted that it's something she has to work on each and every day. When speaking with Elle, she said writing songs is something that helps her find her confidence. "I think a big part of it is saying it out loud. I say, 'I look good today,' and I feel good. It really helps hearing it out loud," said the singer.

Trainor has posted photos of herself without makeup on Instagram, proving that she feels comfortable whether she's all dolled up with foundation, bronzer, and false lashes or just sporting a bare face. Thanks for keepin' it real, Meghan!

Kristen Bell

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While Kristen Bell isn't known for wearing a ton of makeup, you're probably pretty used to seeing her with foundation, a little blush, and some mascara. If you're a fan of The Good Place, you've probably also grown to love the edgier past life look of Bell's character, Eleanor — including that amazing lipstick from Season 1. Simone Almekias-Siegl, a makeup artist who worked with the star on the show, even revealed the brand and color to fans when speaking with Racked: Ilia lipstick in the shade "Perfect Day."

Of course, just because Bell dons makeup on television and at events, that doesn't mean she's always got a face full of the stuff. In fact, the star has been photographed numerous times, often while doing some grocery shopping, sporting an au naturel look. And, let's be real here, she's not the only one who runs errands bare-faced. Actually, who does put on makeup to go to the grocery store, right?

Ashley Tisdale

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Ashley Tisdale is no stranger to going without makeup, which you might think is ironic given that she has her very own makeup collection. Nevertheless, she's posted "clean face" selfies to Instagram plenty of times. In July 2016, she shared a photo of herself with the caption: "Usually a woman doesn't reveal her age. But because I look so young I feel great saying tomorrow I'm turning 31!" She then added the quintessential hashtag: "#nomakeupselfie." Oh, and yes, she looked as young as she thought.

In 2017, she also appeared on makeup artist Laura Lee's YouTube channel for a "5 minute makeup challenge." Although the video ends with Tisdale wearing as much makeup as she could apply in just 300 seconds, the filming began with both Tisdale and Lee wearing zero makeup. Instead, the celeb donned a simple black hoodie, a matching headband, messy bun, and a bare face — a uniform many women know well.

Sarah Paulson

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Sarah Paulson routinely slays at red carpet events. Sometimes the star wears her hair in lose waves, pulled back in a sleek updo, or down and pin straight. Her brows are always perfection (seriously, brow goals) and she's likely one of the only stars that could pull off wearing a bold lip together with a neon green dress. Paulson is definitely not afraid to take risks.

Still, there are days when Paulson will throw her hair back into a ponytail, secure her flyaways with basic barrettes, and forgo makeup altogether. Still, the star revealed to InStyle that she always follows at least a basic beauty routine. She explained, "…If I don't comb my eyebrows and have ChapStick, I don't feel like I can face the day, and I'm not kidding." She said she's also happiest at red carpet events when she's got some "sparkle and a shoulder pad." Dressed up or dressed down, we think Paulson is radiant either way.